Diary of two mad authors….

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Archive | April 2013

More than 50 years after her death, the queen of Hollywood, Marilyn Monroe, has been crowned possessor of the most iconic curves of all time. She has been named as having the best celebrity curves of all time, beating modern beauties such as Kelly Brook, Christina Hendricks and Kim Kardashian.

The study was commissioned to mark the launch of the new “curvaceous” Peugeot RCZ Sports Coupe, and the car’s designer, Boris Reinmoller said: “The study shows the continued appeal of the curve and old-school Hollywood glamour, which will never go out of fashion.” They found that old school Hollywood glamour is still the style to beat, as four of the top five most iconic curves come from that era.

More than 50 years after her death, the Hollywood star has topped a poll of men and women, with four out of ten (40.8%) people voting Monroe’s body to be the best.

Here are some other interesting facts the poll of more than 2,000 men and women across the UK showed:

~~~~that old school glamour rules as Monroe (above) is joined in the top five by actresses Raquel Welch (24%), Sophia Loren (23.30%) and Jayne Mansfield (18.40%).

~~~~Model Kelly Brook is the only current household name to make the top five, with a quarter (25.8%) of the votes putting her in second place.

~~~~curves are favored by six out of 10 people. Men find women’s bottoms (35.9%) the most attractive curve, followed by their busts (24.5%) and waist (17.7%); while women consider other women’s waists to be their most appealing curve (43.1%), followed by bottoms (11.9%) and busts (7.8%). Crazy, the things we poll about.

~~~~ The small of the back, known as the ‘scoop’ was voted the most attractive curve by seven per cent of the population. Back scooping surgery has seen as increase in popularity since the queen of plastic, Heidi Montag, underwent the procedure in 2010.

~~~And, last but not least, one in ten favored the nape of the neck, or the area between the neck and the shoulder.

So, though it’s been slightly more than 50 years after her death, there is still no-one to match the curvaceous grandeur of Marilyn Monroe. She is one star who had it all – chic, class and just enough bad/good girl to thrill men and women alike for generations. Fans of Marilyn all the world over say she possessed the perfect combination.

We are so excited to have Brenda Perlin with us today!! Her latest book, Home Wrecker, is being released Monday, April 29th, and her publisher is throwing a huge Facebook release party!! (Details on how to join us for this party are at the bottom of this post.) So, we thought it would be great for all of us to get to know her a bit better. Let’s jump right in.

Where are you from?

I am from the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angles, California. I have lived in Cali all my life. You can call me a Valley Girl, for sure!!!

I was a personal trainer for many many years. I loved working with people and helping them to obtain not only their fitness goals but their life goals as well. It all goes hand in hand. I am definitely a people person.

Tell us your latest news?

My book Home Wrecker is being re-released with a better cover, cleaner edits and an amazing publisher, Master Koda Select.

When and why did you begin writing?

I loved making up stories as a kid. When I was a teenager and old enough to go to coffee shops on my own I would sit at a table for hours scribbling on the restaurants paper napkins. Come to think of it, why didn’t I just buy a note pad? I guess I just liked the feel of the napkins and knew there was an endless supply.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Maybe after my first book was published. I had to really throw myself into the marketing aspect. I had no clue as to what I was doing. It was trial and error all the way!!! It still is to some extent. I want to connect with readers that will appreciate my story. That is not always an easy thing to do.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I was turning thirty and planning my wedding. It was before I became a fitness trainer and not really sure what I wanted to do with my life. I felt a lot of pressure from my then future husband to do more. He said he didn’t care how much money I made as long as I worked hard. That was when I decided I would write my life story and talk about the pressures of growing up as well as the unpleasant business of weddings! I thought it was all a sham. After we were married I realized my husband had it reversed, he didn’t care how hard I worked as long as I made money.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I pretty much write how I speak…although with writing you can refine it quite a bit. When I talk I tend to speak fast and don’t always get the right words out.

How did you come up with the title?

I was once called a Home Wrecker by one of my mother-in-laws girlfriends. At the time I thought it was the funniest thing I had ever heard. It was so far off point.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I think my book has many messages and not all about lying, deceit and adultery. It is a coming of age story of which the main character always has a difficult time fitting in and is constantly misunderstood. She was bullied as a youth and did not fit in with her peers. Through out her life she faces many obstacles and some of the hardest kinds of life struggles. I think many people could relate to this girls story.

How much of the book is realistic?

It is all reality based. Names, places, and dates have changed.

What books have influenced your life the most?

When I think back to my first reading experience I remember falling in love with Judy Blume. Her books resonated with me. In her writing she seemed to understand what I was going through.

As a teenager I fell in love some of the old classics like The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger,The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham, The Stranger, by Albert Camus, and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I also loved Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, and Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. In a way these books made me feel more adult-like and accepted.

By the way, I can’t wait to read your new book What She Knew!!! Congratulations!!!!

~~Thank you Brenda! It should be out around the 1st of May!! Woot!!

What are your current projects?

Home Wrecker will be a trilogy. I have two more books in the works. I am very excited for the other two because they really compliment the first. There was just so much more story to be told so book two came about and then the third is from the male perspective. It is the main characters love interest, Bo. He gets his own story. It is his coming of age story that leads up to the present. In a way that is my favorite. It is a great story and is not mine, which is a pleasure!!!

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

I have so many great Facebook friends that have really supported me. All the authors and friends that I have accumulated on my pages. The support has been unreal.

Besides John Emil Augustine and Mark Barry who have been the most awesome supporters of all things Brenda, it is Natalie Walker Idrogo who has gone out of her way over and over to help Home Wrecker to be a success. I just love this girl and appreciate her so much.

This is getting to be a lot of pressure as there are so many great people who I would love to mention like my girlfriends from the past Wendy Hallin, Stacey Jarvis Ferber, My cousins Zanda, Rhona and Barbara, and Jeffry.

It really does take a village.

If you could pick any celebrity to star in the movie version of your book, who would it be?

Sandra Bullock, Kevin Costner, and John Travolta. You can see, I have already thought about that.

Can you share a little of your current work with us? (a short excerpt would be great)

This is from Home Wrecker:

“I was physically attacked by a woman who didn’t even know me. Yes, my boyfriend was her former husband, but she tried to ruin me. While she was not my worst nemesis, I have had plenty of opposition from others. Yet she caused me plenty of grief during a time when I didn’t have the energy for anymore negativity. Throughout my life, I’ve had many disappointments, survived many losses and had more than my share of sorrow. I had my expectations crushed repeatedly, yet I was still optimistic and believed there were good things to come.”

Who designed the cover(s)?

JD Robinson at rabbit Run Films. He did such an outstanding job and he put up with me!!!!

Just Do It!!!! Don’t give up and give into self-doubt. You are the only one that has your unique voice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you so much for sharing a bit of yourself and your encouragement with all of us!! Now, just look at the cover!!

Isn’t the cover fabulous!! Brenda’s cover artist is JD Robinson at rabbit Run Films. K.R. and I feel he did such an outstanding job, we just love how the green really makes the cover pop. And, according to Brenda, he was ever so patient!!!! You can find him at: http://runrabbitrunfilms.wix.com/runrabbitrunfilms

As awesome as the cover is, the story Brenda weaves is just as great. Home Wrecker is a coming of age story set in California from the 1960’s until present day. There is marriage, divorce and ongoing suspense. I guess you could call it a modern romance story. When Brooklyn meets Bo, their lives are instantly turned upside down. Brooklyn and Bo, each unhappily married to someone else, have to decide whether to stay with their spouses or give up everything for each other.

Author Bio:

Brenda Perlin was born in Los Angeles, California in the Sixties. She studied acting and photography after high school. Later, her true passion was ignited when she became interested in health and fitness and became a fitness instructor. At twenty-nine she started writing Home Wrecker during the time she was getting married. She put her story down shortly after the wedding and didn’t pick it back up until she was forty-six and going through a divorce. She now resides in Orange County, California.

Please join us and our friends on Facebook for Brenda’s Home Wrecker book release party on Monday, April 29th, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Pacific Standard Time – Hosted by Kim Mutch Emerson’s MasterKoda Select Publishing. You don’t have to be a Home Wrecker to enjoy the book. At the party, you will have a chance to win some awesome prizes, play games, and interact with people from around the globe!! Virtual drinks and food are on the house! Attire is optional, lol!!

Top Authors Give Proceeds to Middle School Gardening Project
…
(Jasper, AL) April 28th, 2013 – Top authors from across the world will come together on Facebook this Saturday to raise funds for a gardening project for students at Curry Middle School located in Jasper, AL. The project is Sponsored and coordinated by Bea Kunz of Sage Hill Farms.
“The project will be ongoing from year to year with different students and teachers participating,” states Kunz. She goes on to say, “I am thrilled to be a part of any project that enlightens or peaks an interest in better foods for better health.”

The benefit event will include games and contests for the attendees and takes place on Facebook this coming Saturday, April 27th from 10:00am to 3:00pm Eastern time. The public is welcome. Proceeds from the book sales will go to the Curry Middle School Organic Gardening Project. To join this worthwhile event, simply go to this link and click join: https://www.facebook.com/events/485963738123325/

What an easy and fun way to spend part of your Saturday that will benefit not only middle school students, but everyone who will eat from the bounty of their labor! And, you have a chance to win some very cool prizes. Marilyn loved helping children and we know that she would be right in the midst of everything helping all she could ro raise money for the project.

It is so awesome to have Stephanie with us today. She has been writing since she was ten years old and started with writing songs. Her writing progressed into short stories, poetry, screenplays, and more recently, her novel Dark Revelation. That’s the one we want to share with you today – YAY!!! While Dark Revelation is of the YA genre, her other WIP’s (Works in Progress) are more adult in nature – and no – not that kind of adult.

Stephanie was born in San Antonio, Texas but spent most of her youth in Germany (that’s where T.L.’s family is from by the by.) She joined the military and traveled the world…well more than we have that’s for sure!! She lived in Japan, spent time in India, and currently resides in Sacramento, California.

Stephanie is surrounded by her close friends, family, and animals. She resides with her oldest daughter, Illeana; youngest daughter, Kathryn; Punky & Snoopy (two cute Chorky’s), and their cat, Miss Kitty. She misses her son, Gavin, terribly who lives in Georgia.

She is currently working on the second book in the Dark Revelation series. Yes, we cannot wait for it to come out. Oh, and don’t you just love this cover? It was created by Nikki Fortugno. You can find her website at: http://www.artfullykumo.com/

~~~We asked Stephanie to share with us one of her greatest moments as a writer. Let’s jump right in!!~~~

Stephanie, have you ever had a moment, even if it was a split second when someone noticed you for the unique person you are or complemented you on a job well done? Do you remember what that feels like in your heart?

I haven’t had just one moment that has felt great, I have had many. There are many people out there who are less than encouraging; this also includes traditionally published authors. When I’d read that some of these authors that I personally read thumb their noses at Indie authors, I was almost hesitant to even carry forward. Too many other Indies put out sloppy work, and I will say my first go at it wasn’t the cleanest, but it wasn’t the worst. I finally got an editor, beta readers, and felt good about the product that I put out.

One of the greatest moment I have experienced as a writer was when a fellow author told me that I had a great YA voice and that I had great potential to create something great. That author is Todd Brown. It wasn’t just the fact they expressed to me that I had a great YA voice – it was the way it was expressed. I have had several moments of self-doubt throughout the creation of Dark Revelation. More than I can even count. I combined multiple layers of mythos on top of each other and wasn’t sure how well it would be received. But what is creation other than breaking the boundaries we tie ourselves to? His words of encouragement gave me the extra belief I needed in myself to push forward.

Don’t give up, and don’t listen to the bull that other people will feed you. Find your groove and stick with it. Find a beta reader, find an editor and most of all, find that belief in yourself. You started this journey with an idea that YOU felt was great, don’t cheat yourself the possibilities that only YOU can create for yourself.

Ryleigh Simmons just turned seventeen. After losing her parents in a fatal accident, Ryleigh moves in with an aunt she was unaware of and is introduced to family she never knew existed. After finding out she is a descendant of the Fae, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the assistance of Tristan – a long lost cousin. Ryleigh’s Uncle Finar wants nothing more than to consume her and those like her to become the most powerful Fae in existence and Ryleigh is the only one who can stop him.

Slowly starting to stir, she could hear the voices say, “Shhh, quiet – she’s coming around.” Ryleigh groaned as she attempted to open her eyes. “It’s okay, little one, wake up,” she could hear the soft voices calling to her.

Ryleigh opened her eyes and shut them immediately. The blinding light felt like fire raging through her skull. She could hear rustling around her. Opening her mouth to speak, her voice caught the gravel coating in the back of her throat. “Hello,” she choked up.

Hi all!! A few days ago, we highlighted one of our favorite authors (and heart-throb of Marilyn) Brad Fleming. His latest book is out, and available for only 99 cents for a short time. However, we wanted to bring him in and personally get to know the man behind these awesome books. Enjoy!!

Where are you from?

I was born in the small town of Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland, where, as the song says, the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My education at both school and college was pretty standard, I certainly wasn’t the brightest kid in the class. After school I used to help out in my uncle’s book store and newsagents business and it was there I developed a love of reading. I didn’t draw any pay but, once my chores were done, I was allowed to read anything I fancied as long as I put it back in the same condition. Over the years I worked my way up from comics to boys’ adventure stories and even dipped into some of the classics.

Tell us your latest news?

My first novel Role of Dishonour was published by Master Koda Select Publishing in 2012 as a Kindle e-book and is due for release as a paperback in a few weeks. Master Koda will release my second novel Deadline to Danger later this month.

When and why did you begin writing?

I got a job as a reporter on my local weekly paper and covered courts, councils and a wide variety of local events.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’m not sure I do, even yet! But I certainly enjoy it.

~~We so understand this! K.R. has been writing longer than I have, so I am right there with you Brad!!

What inspired you to write your first book?

There’s an adage that every hack journalist reckons he has a book in him somewhere and I was no different. But I had quit journalism and moved on to broadcasting and public relations before I finally got around to it.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I suppose everybody does, but I’m not conscious of having a particular style. It really depends on the subject I’m writing about.

How did you come up with the title?

It’s a play on the phrase—roll of honour. There was a lot of dirty work afoot, so I came up with Role of Dishonour. I’m pleased nobody else seems to have thought of it first.

~~It is a wonderful play on words, everyone knows ‘role of honour’ and it makes you title very memorable and very telling.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

The Irish Troubles dragged on for nearly three decades, thousands died and thousands more were horribly injured. Yet the British and Irish Governments seemed incapable of coming up with a solution. My book, although fiction, offers a possible solution, which, though extreme, might well have worked.

~~You had us believing!!!

How much of the book is realistic?

I like to think it’s as realistic as any work of fiction can be. Some events described in the book actually happened, although all the characters are fictional.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life, or are they a figment of your imagination? (i.e. – is your hero/heroin you? – is your ‘bad guy’ you or someone you know?)

The hero of RoD is a journalist and so was I. There the similarity ends. I would never hope to be as brave as Mark Dexter.

~~Oh, I don’t know about that. Marilyn can see you that way!!

What books have influenced your life the most?

Too many to count.

What book(s) are you reading now?

Jeffrey Archer’s latest. He’s one of my favourites.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I tend to stick to authors I enjoy, although it’s always a pleasure to find a good new one.

Can you share a little of your current work with us? (a short excerpt would be great)

Here’s a snippet from Deadline to Danger, due out this month.

“Jim!” His mother called from the kitchen. “Your breakfast is ready and there’s a letter for you. Looks like it might be from the Courier.”

He was out of bed like a shot and took the stairs two at a time. He’d been expecting the letter for days and was beginning to think it would never come. Taking the white business envelope from her, he held it in front of him at arm’s length. Sure enough, the familiar cockerel logo and the legend Millchester Courier was printed in the bottom right corner.

His eyes shifted to the neatly typed address.

James Baxter Esq

34 Lower Bridge St

Millchester

“Esquire indeed,” his mother smiled. “They must think something of you already and you haven’t even started working there yet.”

“Shush Mother. They don’t know me from Adam.”

“Course they do, boy. Didn’t your father work there for over ten years?” She looked at him expectantly. “Are you ever going to open it then?”

He took a kitchen knife from the breakfast table and slit the envelope neatly across the top before extracting the single sheet of letter-headed notepaper. He grinned hugely as he read the five line paragraph. “I’ve got an interview with the editor at 10-30 next Tuesday morning.”

“Oh well done son, congratulations. Your dad would have been so proud of you, and so am I. Make sure you wear your navy suit and I’ll see your new striped shirt is nicely pressed. It’s important to create a good impression from day one. And take a notebook and a couple of sharpened pencils with you just in case.”

“Thanks mum, but I won’t need those until I actually get a job and start working.”

His mother busied herself setting the kettle on the gas-ring and laying the table. “”You’ll get it all right. I know you will. Now go and get dressed, your breakfast will be ready in five minutes.”

~~Oh, wow, we cannot wait for this one to come out!!!!

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

I’m fortunate in having travelled fairly widely. I wouldn’t be happy siting a story in a country or city I hadn’t visited.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

That there’s more to writing a 100,000-word novel than most people realise. But the reward of seeing it in print makes it well worthwhile. I get as big a kick out of the research as I do from the actual writing.

Thank you Brad for letting us get to know you a bit! We, and especially Marilyn, really enjoyed having you with us. *wink, wink

To find out more about Brad Fleming you can visit his website The Writer’s Den at http://bradfleming.co.uk. where you’ll find all sorts of things of interest to readers and writers. We love his website and following his blog is a must for us. Oh, and make sure you check out all of his Inky Black books on Amazon too. Here’s the link: http://dld.bz/cvCgx

You can reach Brad by email at bradatlisburn@gmail.com. Oh, and make sure to make Brad one of your twitter-mates, his handle is @BradFleming99.

~~~~

Thank you everyone for stopping by. Make sure and check out Brad’s books on Amazon and drop him an email or visit his website. You will be so glad you did!!

What a great week! We’ve had two incredible authors grace our blog-studio!! Today, Linda Bolton is here with us!! Woot!!

Take 2 is Linda Bolton’s first novel and is available on Amazon. She is currently working on her second book to be released summer 2013. When she’s not writing, Linda is a GiGi, playing with her granddaughter Z, and working full-time.

Alexandra Daniels is a forty-something, hard-working mom, wife and employee. Her life has been plodding along at a snail’s pace and she’s longing for excitement. She wins a trip to her favorite talk show in New York, the Veronica Becker Show, and it just so happens the actor of her dreams is a guest, Derek Dunbar! Is Alex’s life about to change?

Derek Dunbar is Scottish, an actor and a hunk! Every woman in America drools after him. He has his pick of women but stinks at relationships. At forty, is he longing for a more meaningful relationship? Does he even know how to have one? Is he willing to make the effort or will it just be too complicated?

~~~~THE CHARACTERS~~~~

Alexandra Daniels spent half her life as a dedicated wife and mother. Recently, with her husband working so much he spent little time with her and her daughter all grown up, Alex finally decided to concentrate on herself. She got a gym membership, lost weight, and spent her free time at night catching up on years of movies she missed. To add to her newly found identity, Alex wins a trip to New York to see her favorite talk show taped. While there she meets her movie idle, Derek Dunbar. Can life get any better?

Derek Dunbar went to school to be a lawyer, something his mother loved to brag about. But Derek felt he had another calling: acting. Once he submerged himself into his new career he was destined for stardom…and loneliness. Oh, Derek had the looks, but his workaholic mentality made dating difficult, not to mention the paparazzi that followed him everywhere.

~~~~Look what’s being said about “Take 2″~~~~

“ I will be reading the rest of Linda’s book and looking forward to her next one. ” A woman named Patti gave this review and many others shared the same reaction.

In the short time that this book has been available, Linda has received 10 five-star and 4 four-star reviews thus far. Here’s our review:

I love how Linda Bolton tells the story. Her writing is easy to follow and she creates a believable world for her characters. The story itself is a fantasy come true for most women. Who wouldn’t want to try a glamorous lifestyle of the Hollywood superstar? Most of us mere women dream of some hot actor falling for us and ‘taking us away’ from our ordinary hum drum lives.

Linda Bolton decidedly does that in this novel. I won’t tell you the details because I hate having a plot spoiled. I will tell you that it is worth your time and effort to pick it up and read it.

For me, I prefer to find out from the characters what is going on instead of reading about it. I would have liked to see more
tension in their romance both in and out of bed. Overall this is a wonderful story and well worth your evening of reading it. The characters will stick in your head and you’ll find yourself wondering off to some exotic land instead of paying attention to the dishes in front of you. Nice going Linda Bolton!

~~He lives across the pond from us, but because of on-line connections, we feel like neighbors! And trust us, Marilyn would approve!! *wink* Here’s a bit about him:

Before becoming an author Brad Fleming was in journalism, broadcasting and public relations all of his working life. Born in the small fishing village of Kilkeel, Co Down, in the shadow of where the famous Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea, he worked in local newspapers before moving on to a national daily paper in Belfast. Later he broadcast on news and sport for the BBC. In his thirties he made a career switch to join the British Government Information Service, a job which took him to many corners of the world.

~~Here’s what his latest book is about, it’s AWESOME!!!

For generations Northern Ireland has withstood a vicious campaign of terrorist violence that has left thousands dead and countless more horribly injured. The British and Irish Governments seem powerless and to have settled for what one leading politician calls an acceptable level of violence.

There appears to be no solution to the conflict. But, when a Provisional IRA bomb kills two grandparents and a four-month-old baby on a lonely border road, four men from widely different backgrounds – a politician, a policeman, a soldier and a journalist – decide enough is enough. They embark on a daring plan to exact vengeance – and to end the Ulster Troubles once and for all.

Role of Dishonour is about violence and vengeance, treachery and treason, retribution and reward. Men die – women and children too. It’s a world where one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter. For generations the troubles in Ireland have pitted Protestant against Catholic, Unionist against Nationalist and Loyalist against Republican. There seems no end to the mindless spiral of death and destruction.

Yet the book is also a poignant love story, set against the background of one of the most beautiful pieces of earth God ever made. It’s the story of a man and a woman from different backgrounds and different worlds who find one another and tentatively begin to forge a relationship amid the chaos and despair. Are they to be star-crossed lovers or will true love triumph in the end?

~~We asked Brad what he thought would be on a shopping list of an antagonist. I think this list shows just a touch of Brad’s great wit.

Brad’s newest release, Deadline to Danger is due out in April of this year.

Here are a few of the reviews Role of Dishonour has been getting on Amazon:

“I love a book that allows me to see the characters as well as feel their emotions.”

“Brad Fleming weaves a very real tale of dishonesty, betrayal, and enemies amongst friends, collateral damage, and the horrible stages that go along with a war within a war.”

“…an inside view to what was happening in Ireland of the height of their troubles. But it wasn’t that that grabbed me about this story. It was the undercurrent love affair, which had an almost Romeo and Juliet feel about it.”

“I was deeply emotionally involved with the characters.”

“I certainly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good thriller/mystery/suspense. Congratulations Mr. Fleming.”

~~~Here’s T.L.’s review from Goodreads:

I absolutely loved this book. The story had me hooked from the very beginning and I was always eager to get back to reading it when real life came a calling.

Brad Fleming created an edge-of-your-seat page turner that you will not want to put down. This wonderful tale will leave you wondering ‘could this really happen?’

How four men, from totally different backgrounds could end up working together, is a stroke of genious fom this author. Dexter, he is my all time favorite character from the book. I am looking forward to his next novel, Deadline to Danger.

~~~

Thank you all for joining us and taking the time to get to know Brad Fleming! He and his writing are worth it, trust us!! Don’t forget to friend him on facebook!!